At the Recharge with Milk Ontario Tankard, it was Team Kean topping Team Epping in an exciting final. I spoke to Mark about the biggest win of his career, a call in the 10th end he wouldn’t make again, and the fact that he and John essentially traded teams during the off-season.

This episode is sponsored by Kodiak Curling, your source for reviews and insight on curling equipment. Visit to find out what people are saying about curling equipment that could help your game. And couldn’t we all use that?

Outside of Ontario, she may not be as well-known as Rachel Homan or Sherry Middaugh, but Julie and her team have been working toward this moment for over 20 years. Yes, you read that right — Team Hastings has been playing together since 1994. Of course, I had to ask her how they’ve made that work. We also talked about the approach they’re taking to their first Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to webcast the US Men’s and Women’s National Championship. I appreciated it and I hope you’ll enjoy the coverage from Kalamazoo, Michigan, this week. You can find the webcast schedule and the week’s results right here on the USA Curling web site.

Looking forward to the next couple of months of curling — national championships, Grand Slams, world championships, and more!

The longtime second for Ontario’s Team Howard joined the revamped Team Kevin Koe in the off-season. The new lineup — Kevin Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent, and Ben Hebert — has had an up-and-down season while they adjust to a new dynamic, but they cruised through the Alberta Boston Pizza Cup to earn a spot in the Tim Hortons Brier in Calgary. Brent, one of the more thoughtful guys in the game, gives us great insight into that process and what it’s been like to play his former teammates.

This episode is sponsored by Kodiak Curling, your source for reviews and insight on curling equipment. Visit to find out what people are saying about curling equipment that could help your game. And couldn’t we all use that?

He showed his savvy ways as a currency trader when he led his team to a win at the U.S. Open of Curling in early January, securing a wad of American cash to spend on a vacation in Palm Springs. But Team Laycock has done more than just win in the USA — they’ve made big strides this year and are consistently in the hunt at major events. A runner-up finish at the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling Canadian Open indicates that this team has moved into the top tier of elite teams.

I hope you’ll pay attention to the introduction of this podcast and think about making a donation to support web streaming of the US Men’s and Women’s Nationals. If you’ve been a fan of this podcast for a number of years, I would really appreciate your support of this effort. If you don’t want to donate here, you can always send a check/cheque to the United States Curling Association with “Nationals Webcast” in the Memo line.

This interview was recorded way back in early December, shortly after Team Horgan of Sudbury had the biggest cash spiel win of their career. Since then, they went on to win the Curl Mesabi Classic in late December. Who knows what kind of success they might have now that this interview is finally posted.

I hope you’ll pay attention to the introduction of this podcast and think about making a donation to support web streaming of the US Men’s and Women’s Nationals. If you’ve been a fan of this podcast for a number of years, I would really appreciate your support of this effort. If you don’t want to donate here, you can always send a check/cheque to the United States Curling Association with “Nationals Webcast” in the Memo line.

With Mark Nichols back throwing third stones, Team Gushue captured the first event in the Grand Slam of Curling series on Sportsnet by defeating the red-hot Team McEwen in a final game that featured back-to-back four-enders. I talked to Brad shortly after this win.

You can find out more about Team Gushue here. You can find out more about how Newfoundland affected John Carter Cash here. (You’ll understand if you listen to the entire interview.)